Cicada Killer Wasp

As I moved closer to photograph this insect I had never seen before, the wasp swiveled its head to look at me. I immediately stopped in my tracks. The females have the stingers and usually use them to inject venom into a cicada to paralyze it. However, they will sting if threatened, but are usually not aggressive, thank goodness. The female lays her eggs in the cicada and when they hatch, the larva will feed on the helpless cicada.